Filters are used in filtration systems to filter impurities from fluid such as fuels or lubricants, prior to the fluid being used in a downstream system such as an engine or a transmission. The use of replaceable filters allows the user to replace a relatively inexpensive or easily removable wear part when the filter media, which collects and removes the impurities from the fluid, becomes spent, rather than requiring replacement of the entire filtration system.
In some filtration systems, particularly filtration systems for filtering fuel, water is one of the impurities that is removed from the filtered fluid. Water may be removed from flowing fuel by causing the water to coalesce such that it will be stripped or fall out of the flowing fuel. The coalescing and stripping of the water may be effectuated by a filter media, an arrangement of the fluid flow path or by other devices.
The present invention relates to improvements in filters and filter assemblies that include devices for coalescing and/or removing water from a fluid stream.